Not Meant For Happy Endings
by kellyjb514
Summary: Alice, a servant in Ella's household, does her best to help her friend Ella survive the troubled times she is put through. However, on the fateful night of the ball, will Ella be the only one to fall in love or will Alice herself tumble down a path from which there is no recovering? Based off the 2015 version. Eventual Captain x OC.
1. Chapter 1

**A.N. Alright so this is the first Cinderella story I've ever written! I saw the new 2015 Disney version and this idea popped into my head! I don't own anything except my OC! I am going off the movie but there will be a few differences! Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!**

Alice never really meant for any of this to happen. She only wanted her dear friend to have a wonderful life, away from the work and toil they had been thrust into. She wasn't supposed to fall in love. Ella was the one meant for happy endings, not Alice.

Alice, a servant girl in Ella's household, had never spoken to the lady of the house until just before she had passed away. When she did, it was so the woman could ask her to watch over her daughter Ella. "She has a kind heart but I fear it might be lost to this cruel world. Help her stay young and innocent, Alice. She needs a friend like you." When Alice had asked what she meant, the woman's only answer was to cup her cheek and smile sweetly before speaking. "You are beautiful inside and out. You do not shy away from hard work. Instead you roll up your sleeve and jump straight into the fray. My daughter is kind, teach her courage. She's going to need it."

Like the good girl she was, Alice nodded before dipping into a curtsey and leaving the room. Ella and her father went in right after, to say their final goodbyes. Later that evening, much to everyone's sorrow, the Lady of the house passed away. Alice rocked Ella, only a few years younger than herself, as she cried her heart out to the night. A few tears dripped down Alice's face but she couldn't bring herself to really cry as she hadn't really known Ella's mother.

Years passed and Alice watched as Ella grew into a beautiful young woman, not noticing how she herself had changed in the process. Her brown hair, once kept above her shoulders, was allowed to grow out and twist into luscious curls. Her green eyes were surrounded by a border of long eyelashes that could capture any man's attention if she would ever look at them. She was of slim build, almost too skinny as she missed many meals because she was too busy working. Ella was her dearest friend and Alice spent a great deal of time with her, causing the servants to think of Alice as a handmaiden more than a normal servant.

Ella loved Alice dearly and so that was the first person she told of her father's decision to remarry. "Do you think she will be nice? Her daughters, do you think they'll like me?" Alice smiled and hugged Ella tightly, careful not to get the younger girl's dress dirty. "I cannot promise they will be nice, and I cannot promise everyone in the world will like you Ella. However, if they bring happiness into this household it will be welcome. If not, then I suppose we will have to do our best to bring our own happiness." The two young women hugged again before Ella skittered off through the house to meet her new stepmother and stepsisters.

A week later, Lady Tremaine finally spoke to the dark haired servant girl that was always seen cleaning and working. "What is your name girl?" Turning to facing the woman, Alice curtsied before giving her name then stood tall and proud. "Well Alice, I like the way you work. Every time I see you, you're always cleaning something to perfection yet you never seem to be dirty. It is nice to see a servant doing as they are meant." Alice's muscles locked into place in shock. Then she remembered her manners and what the cook had told her when she started working here. "Madam forgive me. I was always told that a servant should never disturb the family she works for. We are not to be seen or heard. I shall do better in the future to avoid disturbing your peace."

Alice knew she had a bad habit of singing to herself when she worked and she wondered how often she sang mindlessly, failing to notice someone else in the room. However, the Lady waved away Alice's words before saying she didn't mind listening to a sweet voice singing. "You may sing all you like, perhaps my daughters will pick up some of your talent. I only ask that you continue your hard work, I do like the way this backwater looks when it has been properly cleaned." Alice curtsied again gratefully before excusing herself to continue her chores. _Lady Tremaine is one strange creature._ Alice shook her head as those words filled them and continued outside to brush down the family horses.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day was spent in preparation for the party that evening. Lady Tremaine had invited many people as she wanted to fill the house with laughter and activity. Alice was passed between the house, the kitchen, and the yard. She worked wherever she was needed and only complained when she cut her finger on some shears when she was trimming the rose bushes. As she wrapped her cut in a small piece of cloth, Ella came running toward her. "There you are! Come on, we have to get dressed for the party!" Alice protested softly as she was pulled inside, looking around for help from the other servants. They only smiled indulgently and allowed Alice to be pulled away. The girl worked harder than most of them and never complained about it, it seemed to everyone that it was time she had an evening away from work.

Ella pulled Alice to her room and opened her wardrobe. Most of her dresses were different shades of blue but there were a few purples, greens, and pinks. Ella pulled out a blue dress that looked very similar to the one she had on then motioned Alice over. "I know it may be a little big on you but you can pick any dress you like. I refuse to be alone with these people and so you're going to join me tonight." Sighing, the young woman reached into the wardrobe and pulled out a green dress from among the others. It would set off her eyes nicely and it looked to be a bit smaller than the others.

Ella went behind a changing screen and Alice went behind another and looked at the dress again. It was simple but beautiful and Alice knew it was made of a finer material than her work dresses. Pulling her old dress off, she sighed as she slipped the new one on. The material was soft on her skin and Alice couldn't remember the last time she had worn something so lovely. It was smaller than the others and so it fit her body almost perfectly. If it was hers, she would only need to take the waist in to keep with today's fashions but that wasn't completely necessary either. Stepping out from behind the screen, Ella was waiting for her and danced with joy as she saw how well the dress fit Alice.

"Oh Alice you look beautiful! It fits you so well that you simply must keep it!"

Alice smiled and nodded, unwilling to upset Ella when it had been a hard week for the both of them. Ella's stepsisters weren't very nice and Anastasia seemed to have taken a personal dislike to Alice for some reason. Ella hadn't been smiling as often and Alice didn't like it one bit. Being interrupted from her thoughts by Ella grabbing her arm, the two walked to the front door together to greet the guests. The evening passed quickly, with Alice staying close to Ella most of the time. Quite a few men who had attended the party seemed to watch Alice closely but she misunderstood, thinking they were watching Ella. Pulling her friend to the side, she whispered in her ear. "Miss Ella, a few of these men have been watching you all night. Perhaps you should leave the room, go find your father or something. I'm sure he needs your company more than I do."

Ella nodded and made another walk around the room to avoid suspicion before leaving quietly through one of the many doors. Alice went about the room, making sure every guest had a full glass of their drink of choice and checked the tables to make sure none of the dishes were empty. Everything was as it should be and none of the gentlemen had left the room in search of Miss Ella so Alice allowed herself to relax, sipping slowly on a glass of wine. Lady Tremaine excused herself from the card table and made her way toward Alice. "Alice, have you seen my husband recently? I am afraid he is missing the party."

Though Alice knew the Lady Tremaine did not care if her husband was missing, she did care that Ella was probably with him. "He was in one of his studies last I checked. Ella went in search of him not ten minutes ago. They're probably still there." Once she finished speaking, Alice curtsied out of habit and stayed that way until the Lady's dress left her field of vision.


	3. Chapter 3

Alice left the party shortly after her conversation with Lady Tremaine. Many people had overestimated their ability to hold their alcohol and Alice didn't want to witness any accidents. She went to Ella's room and picked up her discarded dress before going through the kitchens and out to the servant's quarters. The others were already asleep so Alice crept quickly through the rooms. Reaching her bed, Alice slipped out of the new dress and into her night dress. She fell asleep almost as soon as her head touched her pillow.

A few hours later, the rooster crowed loudly and Alice sat up immediately. _Last to sleep, first to rise. As it should be._ Smiling to herself, she got dressed in a clean dress and laid the new dress across her bed once it was made. There were no worries of anyone stealing it; it wasn't really worth any coin. However, everyone knew Alice never bought things for herself so she knew that they would want to look at her newest item of clothing. She might never wear it again but the fact that she had it would keep the women gossiping of possibilities for days.

Walking silently to the front of the building, Alice quickly wrote out the list of chores and who they were assigned to on the large chalkboard in front of her. She wasn't technically the head of the servants but all the others thought of her that way. The elderly woman who was the official Head of Help didn't mind as Alice was always fair with her assignments. She always gave herself the most arduous tasks and spread the rest evenly among the servants and nobody ever received the same chore in the same week. The task of dealing out punishments however, was something Alice left to the older woman. She didn't like having to judge people's work and punish them accordingly.

Once she was finished, she turned and looked at her fellow workers who were still sleeping. They would need to be awoken but Alice had a few things to put right first. One man had taken another man's family ring; it was sticking out from under his pillow. Alice returned it to its owner without disturbing either of them. A woman had left a mess around her entire sleeping area and Alice used her feet to push it all into a small pile near the side of her bed. She would step on it when she got out of bed. These things, along with others, were done quickly and quietly. When they awoke, those people would know it was Alice who had kept them from getting in trouble and their faces would heat up in shame. Every person in that room knew how hard the girl worked without asking for anything in return and here they were making more work for her by allowing her to clean up their messes.

Alice left the building and left the door open to allow the nice breeze in before she rang the morning bells. The Master of the house was leaving today and everything had to be made ready as quickly and efficiently as possible. Entering the house through the kitchen, Alice set about lighting the fires in the hearths and under the stove so the cook wouldn't have to wait so long for everything to heat up. Once that was done, Alice climbed the stairs and spotted the Master's bags set outside the bedroom door. Picking the largest one up, Alice grunted softly as the weight settled on her right shoulder. It was heavier than it looked but she couldn't put it down now without dropping it.

Moving quickly, she picked up another smaller bag with her free hand and made her way down the stairs. As she had hoped, the carriages were sitting in front of the house when she got downstairs. Farmer John was just entering the house for a cup of hot coffee when Alice reached the bottom of the stairs. "Hold the door for me, will you John?" Her voice was tight from the effort of carrying all the weight on her shoulders and Farmer John's eyes nearly dropped from his face when he saw Alice. "Miss Alice you know better! You shouldn't carry so much! Why not let one of the men help you with that?" Alice shook her head and smiled at the man as she passed him. "I can do this on my own John, I promise. I'm not quite as weak as my skinny arms would have you believe!"

Farmer John, along with many other men on the farm, would never dare to tell Alice how they saw her 'skinny arms'. Where she saw thin, the men recognized strong muscles that bulged when she carried heavy things. Anyone who really looked at Alice could see that she was a beautiful woman with a body almost as strong as her will to do things. Keeping his mouth shut, the man shook his head and turned into the house to fetch the Master. He would set Alice straight as he seemed to be the only person around here that Alice really listened to, besides Ella.


	4. Chapter 4

Once she had put most of the bags into the carriage, Alice turned around to make another trip upstairs to grab the final two bags. However, standing in front of her with a stern look on his face, was the Master of the house himself. Alice dropped into a curtsey and noticed the final two bags sitting on the ground by his feet. "Sir, I apologize for not getting your bags quicker. You should not have had to carry them yourself." The man laughed, causing Alice to look up at him.

"I am more than capable of carrying my own bags Alice. Besides, that is not what is important. How many times have I told you to allow the men to carry the bags? Let me see your hands." Alice sighed softly and held her hands out, palm up to show him. She expected him to grab the riding crop and snap it down on her hands as punishment for disobeying him. However, his hands grabbed hers gently and his fingertips ran over the imprints on her hands from the bags. There were also multiple cuts on her hands from all her work that looked as though they would reopen any moment and start bleeding. He sighed, as though this is what he expected to see before dropping her hands and stepping back.

"Go to the cook, you know what has to be done. Twenty minutes should be enough." Alice looked up at him in shock, anger boiling deep in her eyes. "Sir please! I won't do it again, I swear! Don't you think a better punishment would be to make me finish my task, or scrub the bricks, or I could even brush down the horses again?"

The Master laughed and shook his head before pointing in the direction of the kitchen. "No, Alice. You have received your punishment. Now go endure it." Pouting slightly in spite of herself, Alice marched her way to the kitchen and sullenly showed her hands to the cook. The woman had a hard time keeping the smile off her face as she directed Alice to sit at the table. "How long did he say you had to do this?" Alice growled out the answer as a steaming bowl was placed in front of her before she dipped her hands in. The water smelled strongly of honey, rose, yarrow root, and multiple other herbs that were meant for healing and numbing pain.

The Master and everyone else on the property quickly figured out the best way to punish Alice was to make her sit still. There had been many days that she had worked her hands past the point of bleeding and the cook had quickly found a remedy to help them heal. Alice enjoyed working so making her work harder only encouraged her thinking that she wasn't doing enough but making her sit with her hands stuck in a bowl of healing water, was enough to drive her crazy.

This time, Alice knew that sitting here for twenty minutes would be enough time for the men and the other servants to finish packing the carriages and get everything ready to go. "Why do you do this to yourself miss? You know this is going to happen every time you overwork yourself. Is it that you don't trust the others to do it right?" Alice looked at the cook and smiled at the woman while shrugging. "It's not that I don't trust them. I know they're perfectly capable of doing a wonderful job. However, I owe my life to the Master and his family. If I don't give them everything I can in my work, I feel like it is a horrible repayment of my debt. My mother died when I was young and I was taken into this household as a worker. I would've become a street urchin otherwise, so I'm extremely thankful for everything they've done for me."

Once her twenty minutes was over, Alice pulled her hands out of the water and dried them on a small towel before examining them. The cuts were almost healed now and the welts from the bags were gone. Her palms were soft again, not work hardened like they were before the water dip. Her hands would stay like this for another few days before the work load would catch up with them. Saying a quick thank you to the cook, Alice made her way to the drawing room where she pulled a rag from the pocket of her dress and began dusting. This was an easy task but all the other servers hated it because it took so long and Lady Tremaine always criticized their work. Alice however, seemed to have a talent for it along with a small place in the Lady's heart. She never criticized Alice's work though she always watched her carefully.


	5. Chapter 5

Alice heard the carriage pulled away and heard Ella's voice yelling good bye. Lady Tremaine entered the drawing room and sat down, watching Alice as she worked. Almost immediately, Alice began humming softly. The tune was soft and soothing; something she hoped would soothe Lady Tremaine's nerves.

"If you were to no longer be in our employment Alice, what job would you attempt to acquire next?" Startled and slightly afraid, Alice turned around quickly to face the Lady. Looking into her eyes, Alice relaxed as she saw only curiosity and realized that it really was just a question. She wasn't getting dismissed any time soon. Continuing her work, as she knew the Lady wouldn't mind, Alice answered honestly. "I would try to find work as a seamstress Madam. Before she died, my mother taught me everything there is to know about the profession. However, I've heard that the job itself is lonely and not nearly as demanding as I'm used to. I love company and I love having something to do constantly. If the order demand was low, I would likely take to sewing random dresses to be bought off the shelf."

Lady Tremaine watched Alice as she worked, stunned by the woman's answer. Then she looked carefully at the servant girl's dress and noticed that the work wasn't of any seamstress from town. Alice must have made the dress herself and she had done a fine job of it. The stitches were so small that they were invisible and were obviously strong enough to handle the abuse Alice put them through daily.

Alice heard Lady Tremaine call for Ella as she walked past the drawing room. The two began speaking and Alice kept humming but quieter than before, a soft music in the background that could be easily ignored. Alice did her best to ignore the conversation but she couldn't help the sneer that crossed her face when she told Ella to call her Madam. That was something a servant should use to address those of a higher rank, not something a stepdaughter should call her stepmother. Finished with the drawing room, Alice moved toward the door to continue with the other rooms when she heard Lady Tremaine tell Ella that she would be sleeping in the attic. The woman paused for a moment, outrage coursing through her before she remembered her place and continued with her chores.

Later that day, when Ella makes her way up the attic stairs she opens the door and sighs at the emptiness. Moving across the room, she sets her box of sewing supplies on a box before noticing a pile of blankets. They're all folded neatly and obviously freshly washed. Sitting atop the pile is a leaf folded into the shape of a small bird, obviously a gift from Alice. The young woman loved leaving small gifts like this for Ella to make her smile. "Thank you Alice. Thank you so much." Ella's voice was soft, practically a whisper but was filled with enough gratefulness to allow anyone listening to understand how much Ella appreciated her friend.

The next morning Alice had assigned herself to kitchen duty as it was the day the kitchen received a thorough cleaning. The ovens were scrubbed out, the floors cleaned, the fireplaces completely emptied, the pantries reorganized, and lists of groceries were made. While Alice trusted the others to do every other task around the house, this one of the few that should would only allow herself and the cook to do. Besides her work, Alice had two great passions and cooking was one of them. She refused to allow the kitchen to be dirty and the food had to be perfectly chosen. The cook appreciated the help and never complained when Alice took her kitchen over for a day.

Ella found Alice after she had eaten breakfast; the young woman was covered in ash and was currently finishing her own breakfast but looked incredibly unhappy. "Whatever is the matter Alice? You look as though someone has just taken your first born child." Alice rolled her eyes and used her head to gesture at the cook. "I wanted to get all the work finished before I ate but our cook here insisted that I eat now."

Ella smiled and sat down next to her friend, keeping a clear distance of her ash covered dress before pulling a napkin from one of her pockets. "Well it's just as well that you're eating now. I've come to give you something." Alice opened the napkin to find a hard-boiled egg and a piece of toast with jam on it. Ella knew that the servants only received porridge and a piece of fruit for their breakfast. Ella also knew, from servant gossip, that Alice ate less than any of them and often gave her food away to someone else. Smiling, Alice took a bite of the egg and leaned her head against Ella's shoulder. She never allowed anyone to take care of her but Ella was the exception because Alice knew she never expected to get anything from it. Pulling the toast in half, Alice offered one half to the cook who took it with a smile. Nobody in their right mind argued with Alice anymore. Again, Ella was the exception.

 **A.N. Please review! I'd like to know if anyone likes this story so far! I know it's a bit slow but I want you to get to know Alice and see who she is and how strong her friendship with Ella is! Thank you for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

Weeks passed after Ella's father left, filled with cleaning and laughter. Ella often helped Alice with her chores when Alice allowed it and in return, Alice helped Ella perfect dancing. Alice's father had made sure his only daughter knew how to dance and so Alice felt that every woman should know how to dance. Ella's father had tried to teach her but she had only really learned a few dances and none of them were exceptionally formal. There were dances for house parties, dances for balls hosted by Lords and Barons, dances for Countesses, and many others.

"Today we're going to learn how you would dance if you were invited to a royal ball. Typically the Prince, or Princess, will pick their partner and they shall have the first dance. Then, others shall pick a partner and those dances you already know. They are the same for a Baron or Countess." Ella looked slightly confused about what she was going to learn before Alice continued to explain. "I'm going to teach you how you would dance if a prince asked you to dance."

"Alice, you know as well as I do that I'll never be invited to a royal ball! Even if I was, the Prince would certainly never pick me for his partner." The woman simply shook her head and put the needle down onto the music box. Lady Tremaine had insisted on buying this so she could listen to music when Alice wasn't around to sing. One of the songs was the song typically played for royal balls and Alice had thanked her lucky stars when she heard it.

"Stand here and just follow my lead. I'll dance the male part, as usual. All you really have to do is follow where I lead you." Ella nodded and stood in front of her friend. They were dancing barefoot and were the same height, making things quite easier for both of them. Alice put her hand on Ella's waist and moved with ease and grace. They had learned how to other danced, Alice gently correcting Ella when moved incorrectly. After an hour, Ella had perfected the dance and Alice was applauding her motions. "You're doing wonderfully Ella! Any man would be lucky to dance with you! Now I just need to arrange an invitation to a royal ball!" Alice laughed and ducked out of the room as Ella threw a couch pillow at her.

The next evening, Alice was just finishing up cleaning Lady Tremaine's room when someone knocked on the door. Being her last item on the chore list, Alice stepped away and listened in the hallway as she heard Farmer John's voice. He told Ella that her father had passed away from an illness while on the road and Alice could hear the regret in his voice. Sorrow, deep and black, washed across Alice and she blocked the rest of the conversation out. It isn't until Lady Tremaine sweeps past her that the words register. "How will we live?" The words were rhetorical but Alice followed the Lady anyway, hoping to find a way to help.

Upon entering the room, Alice sees Lady Tremaine attempting to change out of her dress but she can't reach the buttons in the back. In her frustration, she tears at it violently, popping a few of the buttons off. Alice rushes forward and stills the Lady's hands before undoing the buttons herself. "Enough of that Madam. You'll ruin your lovely dress if you keep at it." Once she's out of her dress and clad only in the slip underneath, Lady Tremaine sits at large mirror across the room. Alice brings her silk robe to her and slips it on the woman slowly, helping her get her arms through it.

Once that's done, Alice picks up the dress and grabs a needle and thread from a side table. Every respectable lady kept a small collection of needles and colored threads, even if she never had need of them. Sitting on the bed carefully, Alice began sewing the buttons back onto the dress while the Lady brushed her hair out. "He spoke only of his daughter and her mother at the end. What of me? Didn't he care for me at all?" Alice sputtered with her words for a moment before remaining silent and continuing her work, thinking it was another rhetorical question.

To her chagrin, Lady Tremaine fixes her with a glare and stops brushing her hair. "Don't lie to me Alice; tell me what you really think." Alice sighed and finished sewing the last button on then stood and hung the dress in the wardrobe before walking over to the Lady and taking over brushing her hair. "Well Madam, you marriage to the Master of the house wasn't out of love as we both know. It was for the sake of your daughters. How could you expect care from him when you didn't give any to begin with?"

Her cheeks flushing with the ashamed realization that the girl was right, Lady Tremaine looked down at her hands which are folded in her lap. After a few moments, she looked back up and locked eyes with Alice in the mirror. "I'm going to have to dismiss the household first thing tomorrow morning. I cannot afford to keep them and none of them will stay here for free."

Alice nodded and set the brush down before she began braiding the Lady's hair so it would wave gently in the morning and not tangle. "Since the servant's quarters are going to be empty, you could sell the beds off as well. There are always people looking for a new bed, in town and in the country, and those beds were replaced two years ago. If you spend a bit of that money and buy one large bed, you could rent the room out. It has a small kitchen that would be perfect for one person or even a couple with no children. People traveling through the kingdoms are always looking for a lower price than what the inns in town offer. Many of them are looking to escape the bustle of town as well. That would bring some money into the house." Alice swallowed the lump in her throat and took a daring leap when she spoke her next words.

"I would like to remain here though, if you will only allow me a room to stay in. I have nowhere else to go and the nearest city already has a seamstress. I can cook, clean, wash, and everything else that is needed to keep this household running smoothly." She held her breath as she waited for an answer from the woman sitting in front of her.


	7. Chapter 7

**A.N. Someone please review! Even if it's negative! I just want to know what people think of my story! I'll get down on bended knee and beg if I have to!**

Ella stood just inside the garden, saying her goodbyes to the staff. They had been dismissed just after breakfast; their blackboard had stated that they were to eat breakfast before starting their work. Lady Tremaine then told them of the Master's death and that economies had to be taken. She was dismissing the entire household, must to everyone's displeasure. Giving one final hug to the cook, Ella turned around and frowns when she sees Alice standing there without any bags by her side.

"Someone has to stay here and take care of this place. Heaven knows you can't do it on your own." Ella squeaked with joy and threw herself at Alice, hugging her tightly. She wouldn't be as alone as she had previously thought. Things couldn't be so bad if Alice was going to stay.

The weeks passed by quickly for both women. Alice had moved into the attic with Ella, which Lady Tremaine had no problem with. They would both be out of the way up there and the work would still be done. Ella split the chores with Alice as best she could but she still knew in the back of her mind that Alice did a lot more than she was letting on. There was so much work to be done and Ella was dragging with exhaustion at the end of each night, barely able to scrape her food into her mouth. Alice had to continuously smack Ella's hand to wake her up at the table and make her finish her food.

Alice gave Ella as much of her food as possible without the other girl noticing. Ella was getting much too thin and Alice wouldn't allow that, no matter how hard she had to work. Ella was too tired most nights to notice but when she did; Alice lied and told her friend that she was simply eating faster.

Some nights, Ella would be awake enough to turn a teacup upside down and make a table for her other friends: four little mice that seemed to follow Ella everywhere. The young woman had even given them all names and Alice watched with an indulgent smile as she shared her food with them. Alice made sure to put scraps of food in her pockets to leave at the spots she knew the mice frequented.

When summer came toward its end and the breezes became cooler, Ella chose to sleep down by the hearth in the kitchen to keep warm. Alice however, used to the drafts and the chill, chose to sleep up in the attic on a bed. She wrote the next day's chores on the blackboard before she went in case Ella woke up before her. She had given Ella the indoor chores tomorrow as the horses needed cleaned and brushing, something which Ella did not enjoy. Alice stretched out and groaned as her aching muscles protested. However, even the pain couldn't keep her awake and she quickly fell asleep.

When she awoke the next morning, it was to the smell of the breakfast being cooked. _That means Ella's awake and here I am sleeping the day away like a lazy urchin._ Jumping out of bed, Alice groaned as she realized that all her work dresses were dirty. She pulled on the green dress that she had received from Ella and told herself she wasn't going to get it dirty, even if it meant not working as hard today. Pulling her shoes on, Alice quickly made her way down the stairs and outside to take care of all the animals. Feeding the chickens, collecting the eggs, cleaning their house, feeding the ducks, milking the cow, washing her down, and the many other chores that needed to be done quickly took up the morning hours. Having worked extra hard the day before, once the animals were taken care of there wasn't anything else to be done.

Ella had mentioned wanting to visit a friend in town who used to work for the household. Groceries also needed to be picked up so Alice did most of the housework yesterday to give Ella a lighter load. When they were done Alice was going to take her into town with her to get groceries. Having finished the other chores, Alice went into the horse stalls and walked them both around the yard for a bit to warm up their muscles. They would need to be warmed up before Alice would consider taking them to town and they needed to be brushed down anyway. Picking up a brush Alice began with the larger horse, leaving Ella's smaller horse for last.

Inside the house, Ella had called the women for breakfast then began mending the fire. When Lady Tremaine began complaining, Ella quickly stood and began serving them. Her stepsisters made fun of her for having ash on her face and began giving her names. They finally settled on Cinderella when her stepmother asked who the fourth plate was for. When Ella answered that it was her place, Lady Tremaine's eyes darkened with cruelty.

"Oh, it seems too much to expect to prepare breakfast, serve it and still sit with us. Wouldn't you prefer to eat with Alice when all the work is done, Ella? Or should I say, Cinderella?" She cackled cruelly and her daughters joined in seconds later as Ella picked up the plate and walked away.


	8. Chapter 8

Alice had just finished brushing down Ella's horse and was leading both horses into the stable when Ella came bursting out of the kitchen door. Running to the stable, Ella immediately mounts her horse without his saddle and nudges his side. The horse runs off and Alice curses loudly in a very unladylike fashion. Grabbing a knife that she always kept near just in case, Alice jumped onto the larger horse and spurred him in Ella's direction. The horse, more than happy to run after being stuck in pasture for a few days, immediately ran after Ella.

His longer legs gave him an advantage and though Ella's horse had a head start, Alice quickly caught up with her. Her horse reared suddenly, startled by a large stag that had jumped in her path. Alice slowed her horse down and the two horses stood side by side, watching the stag with caution. When he realized they weren't going to attack him, the stag stood tall and stared at the girls with proud eyes. In turn, the girls stared at him with wonder and joy. The sound of horns broke the silence and the girls looked to the sound. "A hunting party from the palace most likely." Alice's voice was soft and melancholy.

Ella leaned forward on her horse and told the stag to run before they could catch him. Seeming to sense the urgency in her voice, the stag turned and bounded away. Ella's horse followed in that direction, moving quickly and startling Ella. Not allowing her horse to follow just yet, Alice leaned down a little and quickly picked a large bunch of wildflowers from the ground. They were a lovely white color and Alice would braid them into Ella's hair later. That sort of thing usually helped the girl get out of any bad mood.

Tapping her heels against the horse's side gently while she put the flowers gently into her bag, Alice knew the horse would find its friend and therefore Ella. When her friend did come into view however, Alice was immediately angry and scared. A man who was obviously from the King's guard was sitting on his horse, ridiculously close to Ella. As if to confirm her worst thoughts, what the man said next had Alice panicking.

"You shouldn't be this deep in the forest alone." Before Ella could answer, Alice's horse pushed between the two which caused the man's horse to back away. Alice immediately held her small knife inches away from the man's throat without saying a word. The man immediately looked nervous but didn't make any sudden movements. Ella tugged at Alice's dress insistently, begging her to put the knife down.

"He's not threatening me. I'm simply making a new acquaintance and we were having a lovely conversation before you put a knife to his throat." Looking back at Ella to judge the truth of her words, Alice nodded and lowered her knife before riding her horse away. She didn't hear Ella apologize for her or the conversation that ensued. If she had, Alice would have made fun of Ella for flirting with the man. However, she was now focused on the hunting party that she could see riding through a clearing.

Three of the men broke away from the main party and began heading in Alice's general direction. Seeing the woman waiting for them, they slowed their horses and Alice took this time to examine the men. The younger two were close to her age but they were nothing to behold. Alice would never remember their faces but as soon as her eyes fell on the Captain of the Guard, Alice's quickly spinning world slowed to a crawl. His shoulders were wide set and gave him an overall dominant look that commanded respect. His skin was ebony colored and his eyes shone brightly from his face. He looked as though he loved to laugh and a part of Alice ached to make him smile for her. Shaking the thoughts from her head, Alice looked down at her horse's mane when she spoke next. "If you're looking for a young man from your guard, he's over this way speaking with my friend."

"We shall follow your lead then, my lady." The Captain's voice was warm and smooth, causing a blush to rise to Alice's face. She nodded and turned her horse the way it had come, walking him slowly to give Ella a bit more time with her handsome companion. The Captain rode his horse up next to hers while the other two stayed behind them. "If I may be so bold, my lady?" Alice smiled and looked up at him with wicked eyes.

"Please be as bold as you would like Captain. That's how I prefer my men." Alice's answers gained her the satisfaction of hearing one of the men behind her choke slightly and begin coughing. The Captain however, gave her the bright smile she had so desired a moment earlier. Alice smiled back when she realized that he knew exactly what reaction she had been aiming for. "Your dress is a very lovely shade of green and brings out the color in your eyes perfectly. It makes me want to stare into them for ages." Alice blushed bright red and a laugh bubbled its way out of her chest.

Alice missed the look the two men in the back exchanged. Their captain never flirted with any woman, as far as they had ever seen. The other lads in the guard would be talking about this for weeks; the dark haired beauty that finally caught the eye of the Captain of the Guard. They came around a bunch of trees and spotted Ella and the man. Alice released a tiny breath of air when she saw Ella was unharmed.

"You were worried for your friend? You thought he might hurt her?" The woman shrugged and looked up at the Captain when she answered. "He is a man. She is simply a woman who is alone in the forest. Neither of us know him, what was I to think?" The Captain looked shocked and shook his head quickly. Alice nudged her horse gently and rode to wait by Ella's side as the man spoke to the Captain loudly. Still completely enthralled, Alice watched the Captain as he smiled at the man indulgently. That look reminded her of how she let Ella have her fun with her mice friends. Someone allowing their friend to do as they wish in that moment simply to let them be happy for a small while.


	9. Chapter 9

***gets on both knees and clasps hands in front of me* Alright I'm begging! Please please PLEASE review! Anything, anything at all! Just let me know if I'm doing this right! Please!**

The man, who Alice now knew was called Kit, rode his horse over to his companions and they all began to leave. However, before they got too far away, the Captain turned around and smiled at Alice. "Thank you for your assistance my lady." He followed that with a wink that had Alice blushing again and she nodded before looking down at her hands.

The two women turn the horses and head for home, allowing the animals to trot slowly. Ella teases Alice gently about the possibility of her being in love with the Captain. Alice sighs and rolls her eyes while smiling at her friend. They reached the edge of Ella's property and Alice sighed softly, catching the other woman's attention. "People don't fall in love at first sight Ella, especially not with ragged servant girls like me. The Captain probably won't even remember my face by the morning." Ella put her hand on her friend's arm and smiled sadly but she didn't have the right words to make things sound better so she stayed silent. Putting the horses into the pasture, the two moved into the kitchen to have a quick lunch of bread and cheese before they set out to the town.

When they reached town, they quickly went to the market and bought all the groceries the household would need for the next two weeks. Enough dried meat and canned things had been set aside that they only needed to buy the fresh vegetables and such that couldn't be grown at home. Once that was done, Ella found her friend and they began catching up. Alice joined them once she had put the groceries away in the baskets tied to their horses. She had given a young boy an apple and a silver coin to watch over the horses and he readily agreed, munching on the apple happily.

"You don't look well, miss. Neither of you. Why do you stay there when they treat you so?" Alice only shrugged as way of an answer while Ella smiled softly. "Because I made my mother and father a promise to cherish the place we were so happy. They loved our house and...and now that they're gone I love it for them. It's my home." The woman smiled and nudged Ella softly before changing the subject again. Alice, not minding being left out of the conversation, scanned the crowd. Suddenly her eyes catch sight of a royal uniform and all her attention is diverted there.

A royal crier is standing on a raised platform and begins calling for everyone's attention, effectively silencing the crowd. Opening a roll of parchment, he holds it aloft then begins reading. "Know on this day, two weeks hence, there shall be held at the palace a royal ball. At said ball, in accordance with ancient custom, the Prince shall choose a bride. Furthermore, at the behest of the Prince, it is hereby declared that every maiden in the kingdom, be she noble or commoner, is invited to attend. Such is the command of our most noble King." Many of the women around them began twittering to each other in surprise and joy, already making plans for the ball. All the eligible maidens would be vying for the Prince's attention that night and Alice knew it.

"Ella we must go home now. Your stepmother and stepsisters will want to hear the news. Lady Tremaine will be cross if she is the last to find out." Ella nodded and they quickly made their way to the horses. Fortunately, their horses were in a part of town that had yet to receive news of the upcoming ball. While Ella was off to get the horses from the young boy, Alice quickly bought a couple bolts of cloth for a great price from a merchant and stuck them in her bag. They rushed home and Alice agreed to put the groceries away if Ella would tell the girls what was happening. Hiding the cloth she had bought in the pantry, Alice put away the groceries then began making her way to the drawing room.

Ella met her halfway and told her what had happened when she told the women. "She won't have a dress for me and they keep calling me Cinderella! It bothers me so much but I wouldn't feel right saying mean things to them!" Alice soothed her friend and smiled at her.

"Don't worry Miss Ella, I'll help you make a dress and you'll go to that ball. I swear it." Ella hugged her friend then left to go back to town and tell the seamstress about making the dresses. She turned back around when she heard Alice call her name. "Tell that seamstress to have the dresses ready and delivered before the week is out." Ella nodded and quickly wrote down the measurements she knew by heart and took her horse back to town.


	10. Chapter 10

**_At The Palace_**

1, 5, 3, block, parrying, thrust. An opening, an overcorrection, a mistake, and then the kill. The harmless foil lands on the Prince's shoulder, indicating he would be dead if this were a real fight. The Captain tapped the Prince's shoulder with the foil and chuckled. "Wake up, Your Royal Highness. You're in a daze." Apologizing, the two continue their conversation as they leave the practice room together. "You've been off since the hunt." There is no judgment or accusation in the Captain's voice, only a statement of the truth.

The Prince openly admits that he can't stop of thinking of the girl from the forest and his friend reminds him that there are many girls in the kingdom. "But her spirit, her goodness." The Captain smiles at his friend before thinking of her friend for at least the hundredth time since he saw her. "I don't suppose you know who her friend was, do you?" Chuckling the Prince shook head no before he answered.

"I don't know. I don't know anything about either of them; though her friend threatened me with a knife." The Captain laughed at that as the Prince rubbed his neck while he remembered. They continued their conversation but the majority of the Captain's mind was on the beautiful dark haired woman with the sharp wit and furious blush. He wondered to himself if she would attend the ball.

 ** _At Ella's Household_**

There was only a week left until the ball and the doorbell rang insistently. Ella answered the door and smiled at the boy who was at the door. He was delivering the dresses but he seemed a little sad when he saw it was Ella who answered the door. She was thanking him and taking the dresses from his hands when his face lit up with joy and Ella felt the door open farther. "Here Ella, let me take those. I have to look over them anyway." Alice's voice was all business but softened when she addressed the young man who was looking at her like the sun revolved around her and her alone.

"Thank you Liam. These were delivered in perfect condition, as per usual. Very good job, I'll be sure to tell your mother when I see her next." Liam nodded in thanks and leaned forward in anticipation as Alice moved closer to him. She pressed a bronze coin into his hand as she kissed his cheek softly, extremely close to the boy's lips. He blushed bright red from his neck all the way to the tips of his ears and ran off quickly. Ella looked at her friend in shock and Alice simply shrugged as she adjusted her grip on the boxes of dresses.

"He thinks he's been in love with me for the past year. I give him a coin to buy sweets and a kiss on the cheek and our deliveries always come on time and without anything missing or broken. I know he'll find another girl to woo soon but in the meantime, why not give him something to tell his friends about?" Ella laughed heartily while shaking her head before walking up the staircase to fetch the girls. Alice shouted to have them meet her in the sewing room before she disappeared into said room and began setting things up.

Lady Tremaine and her daughters did no sewing of their own and so Alice was given free reign of the room. There were a few dresses hanging in different spots that were being worked on. One of the Lady's skirts had torn from the rest of the dress when she tripped going up the stairs, Drisella had caught one of her dresses on a loose nail and it had torn, and Anastasia had asked for a longer hem on one of her dresses. All were in various stages of work but most would take no longer than two days to finish.

Alice had just finished arranging her chalk, pins, needles, and threads when the three ladies floated into the room and closed the door behind them. Without really looking at them, Alice gestured to the couch at the side of the room while examining Anastasia's dress in the box. "Lady Tremaine, Drisella, please sit. Anastasia come over here and undress, you're up first." Anastasia protested loudly, saying she wasn't going to undress in broad daylight. Sighing in frustration, Alice grabbed the girl by her arm and dragged her to the small stool while unbuttoning the stubborn child's dress. While larger than her sister Drisella, Anastasia was still no match for Alice's defined strength. Looking to her mother as if she expected her to protest, she saw the woman examining the dress that still had the torn skirt.

Without another word, Anastasia slipped her dress off and stood on the stool in front of her. She was wearing her undergarments and a thin slip but nothing else and she shivered slightly at the feeling. Alice asked her to put her arms in the air and bend her knees slightly as she slipped the dress cage over the girl's head. Tying it in the back, Alice clucked her tongue at Anastasia's shoes. "Are these what you're going to wear to the ball?" Lady Tremaine turned around when her daughter confirmed and noticed that the shoes wouldn't match the dress.

"We will be able to find her proper shoes by the end of tomorrow, Madam." Alice soothed the older woman then slipped Anastasia's dress over her head and began pulling at the ties. The servant girl growls deep in her throat as she pulls the laces as far as they will do. "It's too large. Definitely too long as well, she'll be tripping over it all night. That's certainly no way to catch a Prince's attention, is it Anastasia?" The girl shook her head quickly; watching with fascination as Alice made marks on the sides of the dress with chalk then used multiple pins to get the right length.

Drisella was next; her dress fit perfectly but was a bit too short. Alice bit her lip in worry until she flipped the hem over and saw a length and a half of extra cloth sewn under each layer. Lady Tremaine looked at the messy stitches with disgust as Alice showed her the extra cloth. "Thankfully, this idiot seamstress remembered to leave extra cloth in case the dress was too short. This is typically done when they don't know what shoes will be worn, or if they're incompetent." Lady Tremaine nodded and stepped away as her daughter got out of the new dress. It was her turn next and she dreaded what hers might look like.

Lady Tremaine's dress, as is fitting of a woman her age, didn't require a cage but a simple corset was needed. She tried it on and to her surprise; it fit perfectly and was the perfect length. Alice however, wasn't as happy with the result and eyed the dress skeptically. "You don't like it, I can tell. So I shall ask you, what does it need to make it perfect?" Smiling, the woman snapped her fingers and turned to face the large chest of drawers behind her. She opened multiple drawers, pulling out different items until she was satisfied.

Turning back around with her arms full, Alice placed the items on the table by the stool. Handing Lady Tremaine a pair of dark yellow silk gloves, Alice asked that she put them on. She then walked behind the Lady and there was a sudden tugging sensation followed by a loud rip. Anastasia gasped loudly but was quickly hushed by Drisella. Lady Tremaine watched as Alice moved the back of the dress around, pushing pins in gently and adding a piece of thin wire until the back came higher behind her right shoulder. This added a sophisticated look to the dress but Alice wasn't done yet.

Returning to the table, she grabbed a deep yellow bolt of cloth that was the same color as the gloves. Cutting two pieces off, Alice marked them slowly then marked the dress one side of the dress. "Anastasia will you come here?" The girl obeyed quickly and sank to her knees beside Alice who handed her a small box of pins. "I've numbered and marked each corresponding spot. Line each number on the dress to the number on the cloth then pin them. Be careful how you pin them though, you don't want to stick your mother okay?" Nodding and getting a look of intense concentration on her face that nobody had seen before, Anastasia began pinning the cloth to the dress.

Alice came around to the other side of the dress and quickly pinned the cloth the same way she had marked the other. Lady Tremaine watched her eldest daughter slowly put the pins in the dress the way she had seen Alice do. Anastasia looked content and the pinch between her eyebrows had disappeared for a moment. A pin suddenly poked her leg but she could hardly feel the pain, she was so happy. When they were finished, Alice pulled another bolt of cloth from under the yellow. It was a shade darker than the original green of her dress but it wouldn't be noticeable. "Alright, now pin this green on top of the yellow you just finished."

Together they quickly finished pinning the new layers and Lady Tremaine had to admit that the additions had made the dress much better. Stepping carefully out of the dress, she allowed Alice to help button up her other dress. Slowly she asked how much more the seamstress would charge to make the changes. Alice snorted and shook her head.

"I'll fix these myself, for no charge. Trust me Madam; your daughters will look beautiful for the ball. Now I'll hitch up the carriage and the three of you can go to town to find Anastasia new shoes." Anastasia and her mother left but Drisella hung back for a moment. "Could you show me how to do that pinning thing as well?" Alice nodded slowly before looking over at Drisella's dress that still needed fixing. "If you'd like, I can show you how to mend your own dress." The girl nodded in excitement before running off after her mother and sister.


	11. Chapter 11

Alice worked on the dresses for the rest of the day, until it was too dark to see even with the help of lamps. Lady Tremaine's dress was done, as well as Anastasia's dress and Drisella's would only take a few hours tomorrow. Making her way toward the stairs to the attic while stretching out her hands, Alice stopped by the pantry and pulled out the cloth she had bought. Just as she had thought, Ella was sitting at the table in the attic staring at every dress she owned. None of them were fit to wear to a ball as they were but if she could just fix them up, then perhaps she would be allowed to go.

Her thoughts were interrupted and she was startled out of her revere by Alice dropping cloths of multiple colors on the table. "Alright Ella, it's your turn. Pick a color, any color, and I will make a dress specifically for you." The woman looked startled and started the fabrics in front of her. A few were satin and the others were silk, both very expensive. Ella knew that Alice was above stealing so she asked her where she had gotten the money for these.

"I bought them the day they announced the ball, from a seller on the edge of town where they hadn't yet received the news and hadn't raised their prices yet." Ella shook her head in wonder as she ran her hands over the materials before casting her gaze to the pink dress on the edge of the table. It used to be her mother's dress and she had wanted to fix it up and wear it. "I know you're fixing my stepmother's dress and my stepsisters as well. How will you have time to make me a dress as well as yourself?" Alice stiffened and avoided the question as she looked over Ella's dresses. Ella repeated her question with more force and Alice groaned before sinking into a chair.

"I'm not going Ella! You have to go so that you can see your guard friend again, fall in love with him, get married, and have your happily ever after! I refuse to allow you to waste away in this house, alone and being treated like a slave! You deserve so much better!" By the time she had finished speaking, tears had begun to run down Alice's face and her chest was heaving as she struggled to breathe. When Ella tried to tell her friend that she deserved the same, Alice stood up and turned her back to the woman. "I've already told you Ella, servant girls like me don't get those things. We're simply not meant for happy endings." Without another word, Alice wiped her face free of tears and picked up the pink dress Ella had been looking at.

"If you won't let me make you a dress, at least let me help you run this one up. I'll keep it basically the same but it'll look at least somewhat appropriate for a royal ball." Ella nodded before running her hand over the purple silk. "I don't want to go without you Alice. Won't you please make yourself a dress and come with me?" Alice sighs as she looks at the material, her mind already conjuring up the finished image of what she would want. Shaking her head quickly, Alice turns away again so Ella tries a different tactic.

"You know, they say that the royal gardens are the finest in the land. There is no equal to them and there are plants there that are only allowed at the palace. Nobody else has them in their garden which means the ball would be the only chance to walk around and see them firsthand. Their night blooming lilies are exquisite, I've heard."

"Night blooming lilies?" Alice turns around and stares at Ella in wonder. While cooking may hold a special place in her heart, gardening flowers held a place right next to it. Alice hadn't been able to witness lilies at night since she was a very young girl. Now her hands itched with the thought of going into the royal gardens and bringing home some new flowers to plant in the garden. She would be the only commoner in the entire kingdom that had them and nobody would know how she got them. Alice smiled and immediately pulled Ella's box of sewing supplies toward her as she sat down with Ella's dress in hand. She would work all night and all day tomorrow to finish Ella's dress and make herself one as well if that's what it took. Alice needed to see those flowers.


	12. Chapter 12

The day of the ball arrived and Alice was almost moved to tears as she stared at the dresses she had altered. They were gaudy yes, but that was no fault of hers. However, the stitches and hems were now completely Alice's work and it made her proud to know someone would be wearing something she had helped create. Ella, not wishing to spend more time than necessary with her stepmother, asked Alice if she wouldn't mind helping the Lady Tremaine get ready for the ball.

So it was that Alice found herself brushing the Lady's hair and pinning it in an elegant style to match the feel of the dress. The corset went on next and as Alice tightened it gently, Lady Tremaine cleared her throat gently. "Alice, I would like for you to know how much I appreciate your work. My dress for this evening would not look nearly as elegant or refined without your alterations. I shall tell anyone that asks that the additions are works of yours." When the young woman nodded and looked to the floor without saying anything, Lady Tremaine inquired about her current mood.

"Begging your pardon Madam, I just would have liked to be able to attend the ball. You see, when I was out running the horses a few weeks ago I stumbled upon the King's hunting party. I had the pleasure of meeting the Captain of the Guard and I would have liked to have been able to see him again. The royal gardens are also the only place in the kingdom that has night blooming lilies and they are sure to be out in full force with the moon hanging as it is. Some of the flowers they have are also exclusive to the palace and I would have liked to collect some to plant in our garden here, to improve social standing."

Lady Tremaine pulled Alice's chin up to look her in the eyes. She stared for a moment before releasing the girl and looking back to the mirror. Alice continued tightening the corset and had just finished tying it when the Lady spoke again.

"Perhaps if you had a better dress than that of a servant girl, I would allow you to be seen with my daughters." Alice looked at the woman with wonder before nodding and retrieving the woman's dress from where it had been hung. Once that was done, Alice left the room to see if Ella needed any help getting the girls ready.

A few hours later, Anastasia and Drisella were standing by the window in the parlor as they waited for their mother. When the woman came out, she immediately began praising how beautiful her daughters looked and how they may just snag the prince. Ella came down the stairs slowly with Alice trailing behind her, though Alice was still wearing her work dress. She didn't want to put the dress on only to be disappointed when she wasn't allowed to go and have to face the embarrassment of having to take it back off.

Biting her lip to keep her mouth shut, Alice listened as Lady Tremaine criticized Ella's mother's dress. Ella had insisted on running it up herself and Alice would never tell her but it wasn't at all fit for a royal ball. It took nearly all of Alice's self-control to keep herself on the stairs when the woman began tearing at the dress and Drisella helped her. Ella's stitches weren't tight enough to endure the abuse and immediately released their holds on the shoulder and bodice lace. With tears in her eyes, Ella asked how Lady Tremaine could do such a thing. The Lady's answer was sharp and cutting.

"How could I otherwise? I will not have anyone associate my daughters with you. It would ruin their prospects to be seen arriving with a ragged servant girl. Because that is what you are, and that is what you will always be. Now mark my words, you shall not go to the ball!" Ella, pushing back her sadness as she always did to think of others, grabbed her stepmother's arm as the woman turned away.

"What if they weren't seen arriving with a ragged servant girl? Alice made herself a beautiful ball gown in case she was allowed to go but she didn't want to wear it without your permission first. It's a gown fit for a princess and Alice is beautiful enough to pull it off. It would increase your social standing to be seen with her. When people find out she is your servant girl, they will tell tales of your generosity. They will say how you are wealthy and kind enough to dress a mere servant in fine clothing." Lady Tremaine hesitated, looking Alice up and down as Ella talked. Alice, knowing that she should go if Ella couldn't, nodded quickly and took over the negotiations.

"I wouldn't even have to join you in the ballroom. People seeing me with you would be enough. I'm very well known throughout town as a hard working servant and that would increase the talk. I would leave your side as soon as we are inside the palace. Then I plan on making my way to the royal gardens and collecting as many bulbs and seeds as I could carry in a bag. I would join you after and begin telling others praises of your generosity." Hope flared in Alice's chest, bright and warm, as the Lady Tremaine turned and looked at her daughters.

"Fine, you may come with us. However, you may only join us if I approve of the dress you have made. My daughters will have to approve of it as well. You will go nowhere near the Prince, nor will you do anything to bring shame to our family." Alice nodded gratefully and pulled Ella's hand as they ran back up the stairs together. Shouting back down that it would only take her ten minutes to get ready; Alice practically flew up the stairs with joy.


	13. Chapter 13

Throwing open the door, Alice immediately strips out of her work dress and begins running around the room grabbing what she needs. Ella tries to help but Alice shoos her away, telling her to write a letter to Kit and that she will deliver it to him tonight. Slipping her corset on, Alice reaches around and pulls it as tight as she can with the angle she has. Ella comes behind her and quickly tightens it more before she ties off the ends and goes to write her letter.

Immensely glad that she made the dress without buttons, Alice slips it on over her head and pulls the satin strings gently. The dress is a deep purple satin with a fitted torso and wide ball gown skirt. Most of the skirt is made of lightly tinted Toole, eliminating the need for a dress cage. A separate layer on top of the skirt is made of more satin, adding elegance to the dress that would have otherwise been missing. The skirt had multiple tiny gems sewn into it, just enough to catch the eye without appearing overdone. They were sewn into the shapes of stars and littered the waist and bust of the dress as well. Alice pulled on a small cover she had made as well to help cover her shoulders and grabbed a small bag of the same material.

The bag was filled with small cuts of cloth, a quill, ink, and a few scraps of paper. When she collected the seeds and bulbs, Alice would tie them in the cloth along with the soil they were growing in. She would take record of how wet the soil was, the plant's placement in the ground, and whether they were to receive full or partial sunlight. Running to grab her best pair of shoes, Alice took the note from Ella and hid it in a small pocket in her shoulder cover. Grabbing a handful of pins, Alice began attempting to tame her curly hair into a nice up do as she ran down the stairs. "Ella, what does the letter say? I won't hand him something that's going to insult him." Ella giggled and shook her head as she trailed behind Alice, adding more pins to her friend's hair.

"It's simply a letter explaining how I feel about him and who I really am. I was never able to give him my name; I was too upset when he asked me."

Alice nodded, earning a short scold from Ella, before they reached the bottom of the stairs. Lady Tremaine and her daughters were waiting for the carriage outside and turned around the moment Alice stepped outside. Lady Tremaine looked the young woman up and down before turning and facing her daughters. Anastasia immediately agreed to Alice going and after comparing dresses with Alice, Drisella agreed as well.

They all step into the carriage, Alice helping to set their skirts right so they could get out easily. Lady Tremaine tells the driver to go and the carriage begins a brisk pace toward the castle. Turning to Alice, Lady Tremaine looked the girl over again before clicking her tongue and taking out the many pins in Alice's hair.

"Your hair is a mess Alice. I'll not allow you to be seen like this, especially not when your hair could be so pretty." Stunned into silence, Alice sat as still as possible and allowed the Lady to re-pin her hair. The result ended up in a much better look with a couple loose tendrils allowed to hang down and frame her face. Thanking her softly, Alice looked at the three women who were in the carriage with her. They were cruel, vain, and easily jealous but they still knew how to love. Selective though it may be, their love was still something to be cherished and Alice sincerely hoped Anastasia and Drisella would find and marry men that made them happy.

Moments later, they arrived at the castle and a look of hunger covered Lady Tremaine's face. One of her daughters must snag the Prince; it would be the prize to beat all prizes. Anastasia and Drisella stared at the palace with wonder and Alice was craning her neck to try to catch a glimpse of the gardens. Once the carriage came to a stop Lady Tremaine exited first, followed by her daughters and finally Alice. There were so many people there, mostly young women accompanied by their parents or a male escort.

Walking just behind Lady Tremaine, Alice began telling her the different types of gossip she had heard about the other ladies of the land. This one slept scandalously without clothing, another never slept alone though her mother tried to have the world believe she was still pure, a woman from town had made a habit of sleeping with married men, and another was rumored to have been kicked out of a Holy House. Soaking up the gossip, Lady Tremaine stored it all up to use as possible ammunition for later. Every girl here would be attempting to steal the Prince's hand and they would try to project only the best things about themselves.

Drisella complained softly about the number of steps but was silenced when she noticed Alice wasn't even struggling. If a servant could handle this many steps, then so could she. Once they were inside the palace, as promised Alice slipped away from the group without being noticed. At least that is what she hoped. What she didn't notice was one of the guards from the forest watching her. He saw her slip away and instead of giving chase, he turned and made his way to the Captain. This girl had captured the man's attention and everyone knew the Captain would be delighted to see her again.


	14. Chapter 14

Alice stared in wonder at the sheer size of the royal gardens. Everything was so organized and had an obvious order about it. Vegetables, fruits, herbs, flowers, trees, everything had its own space and its own set of plots. Pulling the bag from her shoulder, Alice began walking through the garden. There was no room back home for any more trees; they grew more than enough fruits and vegetables, so that only really left herbs and flowers. There were many different types of each herb and some that Alice had never seen before. Spying a saffron plant held in its own pot, Alice dug a bulb out of the soil. She set it in a cloth along with some soil from the pot then tied it up and labeled it.

Going along through the herbs and flowers, Alice quickly filled her bag to capacity. She had more than enough to make the garden back home look magnificent and Alice knew it would be the talk of the countryside. Deciding she didn't really want to go back to the dance just yet, she decided to take a turn about the garden simply to enjoy its beauty. What she didn't realize was that Ella had arrived at the ball and was currently enjoying her own tour through the gardens with the Prince.

The Captain and some of his men had been sent out to look for him. The Prince was supposed to be paired off with a lady of the royal court's choosing, not running off with some mystery princess. One of his soldiers slyly suggested that the Captain should be the one to search the gardens, though he wouldn't say why. However, as soon as the Captain turned a corner and saw his dark haired beauty standing near a pond he immediately understood.

Her gaze was transfixed on the middle of the water that was completely covered with lilies. Their blooms were closed and the Captain couldn't really see anything special about them. Nonetheless, he moved slowly and silently to stand by the woman's side to stare at the lilies with her.

Alice knew the Captain was there the moment he turned the corner. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she felt him staring at her but she refused to move her gaze anywhere but the lilies. The moon was full tonight and the young woman knew that as soon as the beams touched the lilies, they would open to reveal the beauty inside. The large man opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by Alice's hand wrapping around his arm. They stood there, looking every bit like a young couple in love, and stared as the moon suddenly came out from behind a cloud.

Like she knew they would, the blooms burst open the moment they were touched by the light of the moon. Dark pink lined the outside of every petal and it slowly faded into a soft white on the inside. The center of the lily, which held all the pollen, was a beautiful deep purple color that matched the woman's dress. The petals seemed to shine softly and Alice couldn't help the bright smile that lit up her entire face. Now that the flowers were open, the Captain could see why anyone would find themselves entranced with their beauty. His head was turned however, by the show of a bright smile that covered the young woman's face.

"These are without a doubt, the most beautiful flowers I have had the pleasure of seeing. Though I must admit they pale in comparison to your wondrous beauty, my lady." Alice finally turned her head to look at the man next to her and her smile became just a bit bigger as a blush covered her cheeks. She thanked him for the kind words then laid her head against his arm that she was still holding. Both individuals welcomed the contact and stood, staring at the lilies in content while enjoying the evening together.

Breaking the silence after nearly ten minutes, Alice looked up at the Captain as she spoke. "That young man, Mr. Kit I believe is his name, that my friend was speaking to in the forest? I must find him so that I may deliver a letter to him." Smiling and trying not to chuckle, the Captain patted the woman's hand softly.

"That young man that you know as Mr. Kit is known by the rest of the kingdom as His Royal Majesty, the Prince." The color drained from Alice's face and a look of horror crossed her features. She had held a knife to his throat! She had threatened the Prince with a knife. Granted it was a tiny knife and it wouldn't have done much damage but people had been hanged for less! Alice groaned and dropped her head down, cradling it in her free hand.

"Don't worry my lady, the Prince found your spirit amusing. He has no plans to arrest you or sentence you to any sort of death." Alice blushed as she realized she had been speaking her thoughts aloud. Shaking her head, the young woman realized that she couldn't just give him the note now. It explained everything about Ella's life and that was something that couldn't be explained through a letter to a Prince!


	15. Chapter 15

The Captain smiled down at the young woman before suddenly remembering his duties. "I have to report back to the Grand Duke and alert him that the Prince is not here in the gardens." Alice looked confused and the Captain hurried to explain. "A young woman, whom people are calling the Mystery Princess, arrived at the ball and immediately captured the Prince's attention. I was here looking for him but I found you instead."

Alice smiled but her mind was running in a hundred different directions. Ella would be heartbroken to find out that the Prince was enamored with a different girl, a princess no less! The Captain offered his arm and asked Alice if she would join him to report. The woman accepted happily and together they walked back through the gardens. Alice chatted softly about the different plants, pointing out her favorites and what they could be used for. Entering the palace again, Alice quieted and her eyes suddenly found the floor interesting.

"You know, now that I think about it, the young woman who has interested our Prince looked an awful lot like your friend." The Captain voice was soft and he spoke slowly, as if still unsure of his theory. Alice panicked slightly, her face jerking up and examining his. Ella couldn't possibly be here! Deciding not to give anything away and possibly ruin her friend's chances, Alice let her face become blank of emotion and shrugged noncommittally. Seeing the mask cover the woman's face, the Captain smirked to himself and let the conversation drop. She knew something and her avoidance was basically a confirmation of his suspicions.

Spotting the Grand Duke, the Captain excused himself from Alice's presence and asked that she wait for him to return. The woman nodded and stared after the man longingly. She was standing there, looking every bit like a love-struck puppy when a flash of green caught her eyes. Moving quickly, the young woman hid behind a set of curtains as Lady Tremaine walked past her. Listening for any sign that the Lady had spotted her, Alice began hearing the Captain's conversation despite her best efforts. "People are saying she's a princess. Our prince seems quite taken with her." The Grand Duke's answer was snarky and held a bit of exasperation. The Captain mentioned that since she is a princess, perhaps this could be a good thing.

"I've already promised him in marriage to the Princess Chelina." The Grand Duke's answer had Alice's nose wrinkling in distaste. The poor man couldn't even marry someone he loved because the Grand Duke was seeking his own advantages! Alice wondered what was in it for him and barely registered Lady Tremaine's voice. She heard shuffling and realized that the men were parting ways. That caused Alice to slide out from behind the curtain just as the Grand Duke passed her hiding place and the Captain's eyes immediately found hers. From the look on his face, he knew that she had been listening.

Pulling a corner of her mouth up in a crooked smile, Alice apologized silently with her eyes as she held her hand out to the Captain. Taking the offer and accepted her apology, the Captain slowly led Alice back out toward the gardens. Neither said anything about the incident but the heaviness was palpable in the air. "He is one of my closest friends. I do not believe he should be sold off like cattle to another kingdom." Alice nodded in agreement before laying her head on the Captain's shoulder while they walked arm in arm. "Perhaps he will introduce her to his father and the King will approve. Then they would be able to get married no matter what the Grand Duke has promised anyone."

The Captain sighed and shook his head slowly before making idle chatter with the woman to keep their minds off the subject. The Captain complimented Alice's dress which caused the woman to begin telling him how she had made it herself. Enamored and able to listen to her talk about anything, the Captain kept asking questions about the stitching and materials though he didn't understand most of it. Alice, knowing that he just wanted to keep her talking, began going into detail while trying to keep it simple. Once she was finished telling the Captain everything about her dress, Alice stared up at him with a large smile on her face.

Running the back of his knuckles against the cheek, the man stared down at the unbelievable beauty in front of him. He knows he is completely in love with this woman, despite having only met her a few times. "Can I know your name? Please. I lost sight of you once; it would practically be a crime to lose such a treasure again." The Captain's voice was soft and held tenderness to it that no man had ever used before when speaking to Alice. Distantly they heard to sound of the large clock tower beginning to strike midnight.

The woman nodded and opened her mouth to give her name to the man that she was falling in love with when suddenly they heard the sound of someone running. Alice moved to the side slightly, onto the larger main path, and was shocked to see Ella running toward her. She was wearing a beautiful ball gown that she got from who knows where and her face showed a hint of panic. Her glass slippers, Alice had to do a double take on that, were clinking against the stones and she was staring right at Alice.

 **A.N. Sorry it took so long to update! Work has been crazy busy and I've been too tired at the end of the night to do anything except sleep! Please review and let me know what you think!**


	16. Chapter 16

Without a second thought, Alice released her arm from the Captain's hold and held her hand out to her best friend. Ella ran past and took Alice's hand as she went, pulling the young woman behind her. Looking over her shoulder Alice pleaded with her eyes, begging the Captain not to give chase. Understanding that this was important to Alice, the man turned and made his way back from where Ella had come from.

The two women sprinted through the garden and into the palace, taking a path that Alice hadn't seen before. Room after room blurred by until suddenly they were running across the ballroom floor. Ella pushed people aside and Alice apologized as she followed after. Luckily, Lady Tremaine was nowhere to be seen and everyone was too focused on Ella to notice the woman behind her. Hearing a commotion behind her, Alice turned her head and noticed the Prince come into the room. Luckily, Anastasia grabbed the man for a dance which he couldn't politely refuse. They made it across the room and barreled up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Turning the corner to go through the main doorway, Ella bumped into the King and let out a soft exclamation of surprise. Both girls immediately dropped into a curtsey and edged around the King as Ella apologized profusely. Before she turned and continued running, she told the King how wonderful his son truly was. Alice couldn't help herself and craned her neck to glimpse the Captain entering the ballroom. The two locked eyes and Alice mouthed an apology before Ella captured her hand and tugged her along again. Together they ran down the many steps to the palace.

Eager to get the carriage door open and get Ella inside, Alice rushed ahead. Hearing a gasp behind her, Alice sees Ella reached for one of her glass slippers just as the Prince appears at the top of the stairs. "Ella leave it! He'll catch us both if we don't leave now!" She tugged on her friend's arm as she spoke to help emphasize her point. Turning back around, the girls run the final few steps and are helped into the carriage by a footman that looks strangely reptilian to Alice. As soon as the door is closed, the carriage takes off and both girls lean out the windows to stare back at the palace longingly.

The Prince came to a stop as he picked up the discarded slipper, a large smile on his face as he requested his horse. The Grand Duke denies the request, suspecting it could be a trap. The Captain is staring at the carriage as his dark haired angel rides away in it. Turning his head toward the Prince when the Grand Duke called for him, his voice took on a slight whine. "I was having a fine old time. You had to go and choose that one, didn't you?" The Prince affirms the question before the Captain turned and jogged away to get his horse.

Back in the carriage, Ella was still leaning out the window while Alice has pulled herself inside and was admiring the interior. Suddenly, the carriage turned sharply and tips dangerously over the edge of a cliff. Alice pulled on Ella's skirt roughly, pulling the woman back inside and righting the carriage. Ella thanked her before waving her hand in front of her face to cool down while she tried to ignore Alice's stare. There was going to be an explanation necessary but it could wait until they got home. They were now passing through the small village near their house when the Grand Duke's voice rang out in the night.

"You there! Stop in the name of the King!" Ella shook her head and murmured about bad timing while Alice put her head in her hands. "Ella we're fleeing from the royal guard! If they catch us we'll be arrested!" Suddenly the sound of the large iron fence dropping was heard and Alice peeked out the window to see it had been lowered as they passed through. Alice cheered loudly then turned back to Ella only to stop when she noticed the footmen were shrinking and changing shape. Suddenly the carriage shuddered and started getting smaller while turning an orange color. "Ella? What's happening?!" Alice squeaked in pain as she was suddenly scrunched against Ella. The other woman couldn't answer; only yell in fear as the carriage continued getting smaller.

Just when Alice thought her bones would start breaking from lack of space, she was suddenly flying through the air and somehow managed to land on her feet. She stumbled a bit before turning around quickly and glaring at Ella who was somehow back in her mother's old dress. The two began walking home as Ella explained everything that happened from the moment Alice left the house with Lady Tremaine. Shaking her head, the young woman thought over the impossibility of it but knew it had to be true. Dresses didn't just change like that without some sort of magical assistance.

Alice asked a few questions about the fairy godmother and told Ella that she hadn't given the Prince the letter. When she heard this, Ella sighed in relief. She wanted the Prince to know who she was but telling him through a letter wasn't really the best way to go about it. Suddenly it started to rain and Alice immediately began running to the house. She didn't want her dress ruined but Ella continued walking, enjoying her memories. Once back in the house, Alice ran up the stairs to the attic and changed out of her beautiful dress and into one of her work dresses. She came back down to the kitchen in time to see Ella hiding the glass slipper in the ashes and she heard Lady Tremaine and her daughters entering the house.

"They'll want tea and biscuits. I'll fetch the biscuits if you'll get the tea started" Ella nodded and brushed her hands off then stood up and turned around just as Drisella entered the kitchen, demanding tea and biscuits. Alice chuckled at their predictability before going into the pantry. She grabbed a few biscuits for Drisella that were more savory than sweet, a few that were extremely sugary that Anastasia craved like no other, and a few salty ones that she knew to be Lady Tremaine's favorite. Placing them on the table with some plates, Alice took the hot kettle from Ella's shaking hands. The girl was still strung up on a cloud from her experience so Alice let her enjoy it while asking the girls about dance.

Making an excuse about getting caught and asked to leave, Alice avoided being questioned too harshly about where she had gone. When the girls and Lady Tremaine retired for the night, Alice and Ella went upstairs to get some sleep. Lady Tremaine had allowed them the next day off but Alice knew it was because the Lady herself didn't want to be awoken at too early of an hour. Ella danced across the floor then sat on her bed and began writing of her evening. Alice watched her then pulled her bag open and began taking stock of every seed and bulb she had managed to bring home.

Pulling out a beautiful lily that she knew she hadn't put in there, Alice couldn't help the stupid lovesick grin that covered her face. Ella noticed and asked Alice about it which prompted the woman to tell her friend of her own evening. Ella squealed at the appropriate times and even looked ashamed when Alice mentioned her interruption. The evening was one that the girls wouldn't soon forget.

 **A.N. Thank you for all the reviews!** ** _Sarah (guest)_** **: Thank you! I prefer writing fanfics where my character isn't too intrusive in the story!** ** _ZabuzasGirl_** **: Here you go, an update as you requested!** ** _BeastsRose_** **: I love writing Alice and Captain time!** ** _Hot-Magma_** **: Better late than never! I thought the daughters and Lady Tremaine deserved to have another side shown. I don't believe that everyone is completely evil! They know what they want, they simply go about it the wrong way!**

 **Please keep reviewing and reading! More chapters to come! :)**


	17. Chapter 17

Days passed and word was spread throughout the kingdom that the King was very ill. Ella worried incessantly over Kit and how he would fare at the loss of his beloved father. Alice was digging up a new plot in the front garden when a messenger ran past, proclaiming loudly that the King had died. Alice ran inside and gave the news to the family who all looked appropriately sad. With the death of a monarch, there was always fear and uncertainty about the next ruler. Would they be as good to the people? Would they avoid war unless absolutely necessary? Would there be an heir soon after in case the worst happened? All these and more buzzed around the towns and countryside for weeks.

"Alice!" Ella's voice carried over the house to the kitchen where Alice was finishing up the dishes from lunch. Ella floated into the kitchen, she had been doing that a lot lately. Dancing across rooms and walking as though there were clouds under her feet. Alice couldn't help but smile every time she saw it. Being the more practical one, Alice held in her joy and kept it locked in her heart only to be let out at the appropriate times.

"Anastasia and Drisella want to go into town for a while to look at the market. Will you join us?" Alice smiled at her friend but shook her head quickly.

"I can't, I have so much I still need to do today. The kitchen needs to be cleaned again and I have a couple dresses I still need to sew for Lady Tremaine. Though if you could pick me up a few pieces of fruit in the market? Anything is fine, we've just run out and I've been wanting some." Alice handed Ella a few coins from her dress pocket before shooing the woman out into the rest of the house. There really wasn't much to be done in the kitchen but there were dresses that needed to be sewn. However, the truth was that Alice was scared to go into town.

She knew that the Captain would most likely be looking for her, he had said it would be a crime to let her slip away again. The guards were probably told to be on the lookout for her and Ella. There was no problem of Ella being recognized, she looked completely different for some reason; probably magic but Alice wasn't sure. She however, looked as completely normal as she had on the night of the ball and would be easily recognized. Alice wouldn't mind meeting with her handsome Captain again but Ella had insisted that she didn't want to see the Prince again, lest she become a burden or embarrassment. So Alice had stayed hidden for Ella's sake.

 _It's probably for the better anyway. Who would want someone like me? A dirty servant girl that was simply playing dress up for an evening. Kit would be lucky to get a girl like Ella. She's beautiful, honest, and kind. I would be the true embarrassment. I'm not worthy of a man like the Captain._

Alice was snapped out of her dark thoughts by the sound of the front door slamming. That meant that the girls had gone to town and Alice began walking upstairs to start working on those dresses. When she passed by the door to the attic, she heard what sounded like someone walking around and stomping on the floor. So she naturally went to investigate. As she climbed the stairs, the noise got louder and she could also hear labored breathing but it didn't sound like Ella. Pushing the door open, Alice let out a loud rush of air when she came face to face with Lady Tremaine, holding Ella's glass slipper in her hands.

 **A.N. Sorry it took me so long to update! Things have been absolutely hectic with my life. I had an..unsavory encounter and I sort of lost my will to do a lot of things. I wasn't able to get back into my writing but I'm definitely working on it so please be patient with me! Thank you so much for reading and please review!**


	18. Chapter 18

"..if she be willing, he will forthwith, marry her with all due ceremony." The royal crier finished reading his message then rolled up the paper and walked away. The people of town were talking excitedly and Ella was secretly smiling to herself. Fetching her horse, she left Anastasia and Drisella by themselves and raced back home to tell Alice. Rushing around the house, she couldn't find any sign of the woman and decided that Alice must have gone upstairs to the attic. Rushing inside and dropping to her knees, Ella pulled up the floorboards then went to grab her glass slipper. Only to find it missing. _Alice wouldn't take it, would she?_

"Are you looking for this?" Ella looked up to find Lady Tremaine sitting in the shadows with Alice kneeling beside her, long dark hair hiding her face. "There must be quite a story go with it, won't you tell me? Alice certainly wasn't willing to give me any details." Once her name was called the poor servant girl looked up at her friend with sad eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks. However, what really caught Ella's attention were the dark bruises and cuts covering Alice's face. Lady Tremaine had obviously gotten rough when questioning Alice and slapped her when she wouldn't answer, the many rings Lady Tremaine wore leaving their marks on Ella's best friend.

Lady Tremaine continued talking but Ella was only half listening, staring at Alice with horror and anger in her eyes. Lady Tremaine had wanted to know how Ella had gotten the slipper and instead of instantly giving Ella away, Alice had taken a beating and still kept her silence. Well Ella wasn't going to let Alice's loyalty be for nothing.

"My story would appear to be ended. Now, tell me yours. Did you steal it?" Lady Tremaine's voice was suspicious and angry at the same time. Ella shook her head quickly and said that it was given to her. "Given to you? Given to you? Nothing is ever given, for everything you must pay, pay." Again Ella shook her head, telling her stepmother that kindness and love were free. Her opinions were again shot down and Lady Tremaine stood up and began walking toward Ella, tossing the glass shoe between her hands.

"Now, here is how you will pay me, if you are to have what you desire." Alice fell forward as she reached out toward Ella, shaking her head no frantically but she seemed to be unable to speak. "No one will believe you, a dirty servant girl without a family if you lay claim to the Prince's heart. But with a respectable gentle woman to put you forward, you will not be ignored. When you are married you will make me the head of the royal household, Anastasia and Drisella we will pair off with wealthy lords and **I** shall manage that boy." While she was speaking, Alice had managed to stand up and stumbled over to Ella who held her friend to keep her from falling over. At Lady Tremaine's words however, Ella turned around and frowned at the woman.

"But he's not a boy!" Her voice was angry but Lady Tremaine paid it no mind and ridiculed Ella further, asking how she would manage a kingdom. Once she said it would be better to leave it to her, Alice tugged hard at Ella's dress and shook her head viciously. Nodding, Ella straightened her spine and stomped her foot a bit. Lady Tremaine turned around at the noise and stared hard at Ella.

"I was not able to protect my father or Alice from you, but I will protect the Prince and the kingdom, no matter what becomes of me." At her words, Lady Tremaine told Ella that was a mistake as she smashed the slipper against the wall and shattered it. They had another bout of words but Alice couldn't stand up any longer to listen to it. She sat against the wall and slid down until she sat on the floor. Her head was pounding and she thought she might vomit at any moment.

"No! No!" Ella screamed as the door was locked and pulled at it in vain but it was closed tightly and wouldn't be opening any time soon. Once she turned around, Ella immediately ran over to Alice and held her friend's face between her hands. There were quite a few bruises and it looked like even more would bloom over the next few days. Luckily the cuts were shallow and didn't look like they would scar but, like all head wounds, they were bleeding profusely. Ella tugged at her skirt to try to make small bandages but the material was too strong. Suddenly Alice ripped a large part of her own skirt off and began tearing it into small strips.

"You've always been terrible at doing the heavy lifting Ella." Alice giggled but Ella looked horrified at the sound of her friend's voice. It was scratchy and she sounded as if she had swallowed glass. Alice simply shrugged and began explaining what happened while Ella dabbed at her face.

"I was going to fix those dresses, like I told you. When I passed the staircase I heard some stomping around so I came to check it out. Lady Tremaine was up here and she had found the slipper. She confronted me about it and if I knew anything about where you had gotten it. I told her it was given to you and she demanded I give her more information. I refused and she got angry. I suppose she thought that she could slap it out of me. Either way, it didn't work so she eventually gave up. We sat on that side of the room for only a few minutes when we heard you running through the house. Has anyone ever told you that you sound like a herd of cattle when you get excited and run around?" Ella scoffed playfully and rolled her eyes but secretly she was thankful that Alice was feeling well enough to make jokes and sarcastic remarks.

Ella apologized over and over to her friend but Alice wouldn't have any of it. Both girls knew that Alice had just as much to do with this as Ella did. Lady Tremaine would have locked them both up when she had found out even if Alice had told her everything. With the King's proclamation of marriage, Alice would have run to the palace immediately and told Kit where Ella was being hidden. Now they were both stuck in this tower for an indeterminable amount of time and all they could do to wait. Wait to see if Ella's prince was going to be a knight in shining armor or simply a fool who would allow himself to be lead blindly.


	19. Chapter 19

The girls spent the next few days in the attic without any food or water being given to them. Ella was fine, she had been eating plenty but Alice was the one in real danger. She had been giving her meals to Ella for so long that the poor girl was practically skin and bones. Without the little bit of food that she _had_ been eating, Alice was getting weaker each day. However the two girls still managed to talk and laugh with each other. Then finally, on a sunny day with a lovely breeze, Ella was entertaining Alice by doing some dances around the room.

Ella did a couple spins that had Alice giggling and the woman began singing softly. Ella joined in moments later while she continued dancing, the two voices harmonizing easily and creating a beautiful melody. While she sang, Alice looked out the window and noticed there was movement in front of the house at the same time she heard the door open. Neither of the girls cared who was at the door, because they knew that nobody would be here to see them. They had accepted their fates and they knew that once this whole business had blown over, they would remember their beautiful night spent with their handsome men. It would be, without a doubt, the highlight of Alice's life no matter what else happened.

"I love him Ella." The young woman stopped her spinning and turned to stare at Alice with surprise. Alice simply shrugged before looking back out the window at the clouds that passed by. "I know I've been denying it to everyone but at least someone should know. Girls like me shouldn't fall in love, it's ridiculous really. I know I'll never be anywhere near good enough for a man like him. However, I love my Captain with every part of my being. I'll never be able to love anyone else, ever."

Ella smiled and walked over to Alice, hugging her friend tightly without saying a word. Ella knew that Alice hated herself and that meant that she couldn't see what a wonderful person she was. Alice would do anything to help make things easier for other people. Even if someone had done something terrible to her, Alice would forgive them in an instant if only they asked. Alice was one of the best people that Ella knew, ranking right alongside her mother and father. Ella could tell her all this, but Alice would simply deny it so Ella just hugged her.

Sighing, Alice wrapped her arms around Ella and the two began swaying back and forth. Without even thinking about it, Alice began singing the song Ella's mother sang all the time. Ella joined in and they harmonized again but what neither of them noticed was the window being pushed open by Ella's mice.

"When I am king, dilly, dilly. You shall be queen.

Lavender's green, dilly, dilly. Lavender's blue.

If you love me, dilly, dilly. I will love you.

Let the birds sing, dilly, dilly. And the lambs play.

We shall be safe, dilly, dilly. Out of harm's way."

Downstairs, the Captain heard what was obviously two women singing and one of the voices sounded painfully familiar. He questioned Lady Tremaine, becoming angry when she lied about there being no other maidens in the house. Suddenly the Prince revealed himself and requested that the Captain go find the source of the singing. The Captain was more than happy to go look and rushed Lady Tremaine along.

Alice and Ella had finished singing and were standing together at the window, staring outside blankly. Hearing the door unlock Alice stepped in front of Ella protectively, not willing to allow Lady Tremaine anywhere near Ella again. Lady Tremaine entered and motioned to the girls lazily, looking extremely unhappy. Alice's breath caught in her throat when she saw who entered immediately after.

"There! You see? I told you it was no one of any importance." The Captain raised an eyebrow at Lady Tremaine then looked over at Alice and Ella.

"We'll see about that. Ladies, you are requested and required to present yourself to your king." Alice immediately dropped into a curtsey in an attempt to keep the Captain from seeing the bruises still covering her face. Ella nodded and took a step forward but was stopped by Lady Tremaine saying she forbid her to do this. Having reached the end of his patience and longing to hold Alice in his arms and look at her beautiful face again, the Captain's next words were sharp and unkind.

"And I forbid you to forbid her! Who are you to stop an officer of the king? Are you an empress? A saint? A deity?" Lady Tremaine looked surprised at the man's tone then looked at Ella with wide eyes before lying and saying she was Ella's mother. Ella stood tall and put her chin out stubbornly before vehemently denying it and walking past her stepmother, grabbing Alice's hand as she went.

"Just remember who you are, you wretch." Lady Tremaine grabbed Ella's arm as she passed but let out a loud gasp when Alice grabbed her wrist in return. With all the power she possessed, Alice flung the woman's arm away which made Lady Tremaine spin slightly to keep upright. The look on Alice's face was pure, unadulterated anger.

"You will not touch her again! How dare you!" Before anything else could be said, Ella pulled Alice out of the room and shut the door soundly. Ella nodded gratefully to the Captain then quickly pushed Alice toward him, knowing he would catch her. Then she turned and made her way down the stairs, eager to see Kit again.

As she spun away from Ella, Alice kept her head down and didn't look up when she felt the Captain's hands on her arms. He immediately hugged her and the two sighed as though a giant weight had been lifted from their shoulders. Alice felt a knot in chest loosen when he held her close and she took a deep breath to catch his scent. He smelled like freshly washed cotton, leather, horses, and he had an underlying scent of something delicious that made Alice's mouth water. The Captain groaned as he felt how thin she had gotten in just the few weeks they had been apart. She still smelled almost exactly as he remembered though. Flowers mostly, but with the scent of a freshly cooked meal and something that reminded him of a spicy candy he had once had as a child. Though as he pressed his nose harder against her hair, he also caught the sharp scent of blood which immediately caused him to worry.

"My name is Alice." The young woman took a shuddering breath as she wrapped her arms around him tightly. "My name is Alice and I'm so sorry I left you." The Captain chuckled softly before starting to pull away to look at her face. However, Alice didn't let go so he still couldn't see her face.

"My name is John and I've been looking everywhere for you my darling." Putting his fingers under her chin, he slowly tipped her head up so he could see her face. What he saw, surprised and scared him almost beyond words. Alice's face was terribly bruised, some deep purple while others were fading to yellow, her lip had been split and constantly reopening whenever she smiled, and her right eye was nearly swollen shut. The shallow cuts on her face looked to be infected, as if she hadn't been able to clean them properly. Her eyes began to water as she saw the blatant horror on the Captain's face and she tried to turn her head away but he wouldn't allow it.

He asked her who did this to her, his voice barely above a whisper but Alice only shook her head. Tears ran down her face and she lowered her eyes as much as she could so she wouldn't have to see his reaction. Pulling a handkerchief from his coat, the Captain gently wiped away her tears before kissing her forehead gently.

"Did the Lady of the house do this to you?" Alice looked up at him quickly and stared into his eyes for a moment before she nodded slowly. The Captain sighed frowned before wrapping his arm around Alice's shoulder and leading her down the stairs. He mumbled something about talking to the King while they walked. They reached the main floor in time to see Anastasia and Drisella burst into the room that had Ella and Kit in it. The girls began apologizing profusely but they didn't receive an answer. Suddenly the Grand Duke spoke up when he saw Alice.

"Your Majesty, it seems unfair to not allow this woman to try on the shoe as well. You said it had to be tried on every maiden in the kingdom." Kit looked up at his words and his mouth dropped open when he spotted Alice's face. Ella looked exceptionally worried and Alice merely looked tired. She put her hand on top of the Captain's, where it still rested on her shoulders, before staring at the King. Wanting to be true to his word, Kit gently took the shoe from Ella and began walking to Alice.

The Captain helped her sit down in a chair before the King kneeled down in front of her. Anastasia and Drisella stood off to the side, staring anxiously like everyone else. They were all wondering what would happen if the shoe did fit Alice as well. Kit stared at Alice for a moment before inquiring about her injuries.

"Job hazard I suppose. I was protecting the future queen to the best of my ability." Ella frowned at her friend's words while Kit merely shook his head and chuckled. Alice removed her shoe and held her foot out in front of her gently while she bit her lip, which reopened the wound. The King slid the slipper on Alice's foot carefully and his breath caught in his throat when it seemed to fit perfectly. The Captain closed his eyes in sorrow, Ella looked like she would faint, Kit continued to stare at Alice's foot and the Grand Duke has a vicious smile on his face. Shrugging, Alice stared directly at the Grand Duke when she finally spoke.

"It's a lovely shoe and all, but it's too big. It's also definitely not to my personal taste. I would prefer something green." Shock covered everyone else's face as Alice put her own shoes back on then stood and handed the slipper to Ella. She then turned back to Kit who had stood up. Her gaze flickered to the Captain for a moment, but it was enough to be noticed by the King.

"Sorry Mr. Kit. It appears that I am not your mystery princess. Now take your queen to her castle, shower her with affection, and get out of this house. I'll be cleaning the mud out of the rugs for a year!" Laughter suddenly burst through the room and Alice suddenly found herself in the middle of a group hug.

A.N. Sorry this took so long! I had a bit of trouble getting it out of my brain! I couldn't find any information ANYWHERE about the Captain's real name so I just picked one that was popular in that time period! What do you think? Please review!


	20. Chapter 20

Ella hugged Alice tightly before taking Kit's hand and the two of them turned to leave. Lady Tremaine stood in the middle of the staircase, staring at the young couple leaving her home. Ella turned to look at her and smiled before saying she forgave her. Lady Tremaine sank down slowly to sit on the steps before chuckling harshly.

"Go along then, have your precious King and the Kingdom. I still have Alice." Every muscle in Kit's back seemed to lock in place and he grabbed Ella's hand tightly to keep her facing forward. The Captain moved away from the wall in anger but Alice held her hand out toward him with a small smile on her face. She shook her head slightly before turning to Lady Tremaine and brushing invisible dirt off her dress.

"You seem to have forgotten Lady Tremaine that I am a servant, not a slave. I am not your servant either, technically. You may live in this house but I worked for Ella's family and therefore my contract carried to the next living relative, not the owner of the house. I work for Ella. I have never and I shall never work for you." That being said, Alice took the Captain's hand and began pulling him toward the door. "Come along, I would fancy some dress shopping. This one seems rather out of sorts."

She pushed past Ella gently and the Captain smiled shyly at the King who shooed him away with his hand. This meant that the Captain was free to spend the rest of his day with Alice in whatever way Alice preferred. Without waiting for a helping hand, Alice jumped sidesaddle onto the horse that bore the Captain's insignia and waited for him to catch up. The soldiers stared at her face in shock before looking away. It was a terrible crime to hit a woman, especially if she was a servant. They were the spine of the country and without them, things would be much different.

"The Lady in this house is going to be held under house arrest. She has three days to pack what she needs and leave with her daughters and the Grand Duke. None of them are ever to set foot in this country again." The King's voice was colder than anyone had ever heard it but his face was soft and held a certain light in it when he looked at Ella. It was very obvious that the two loved each other already. Alice was smiling softly at them and blinked in surprise when the Captain swung up onto the horse.

She turned to smile at him and leaned into his chest slightly. Together, they rode into town to find Alice a new dress. Once that was done, Alice having picked out a beautiful green dress, they walked around the small town in the general direction of the palace. Alice told the Captain what had happened since they had left the ball that night, trying her best to remember every detail. The Captain listened without interrupting but his face gave away each emotion he felt. Anger, frustration, sadness, and finally his face settled on pride which thoroughly confused Alice. She asked him about it and he took her hand gently.

"You're so brave and so kind Alice. You did everything and more for your friend simply to give her the smallest chance at happiness. Not matter what it cost you." Alice shrugged and looked down, her cheeks flaming brightly in embarrassment. The Captain noticed immediately. "You are not good at taking compliments. Why is that?"

"Well usually when I've been complimented, it's on my work. That type of praise I can handle because I had a direct effect on that job. My hands cleaned or scrubbed the thing that is being complimented. However when someone compliments my looks or tries to tell me I'm a good person, I had no hand in that. None of that was my doing." Alice shrugged again, obviously uncomfortable with the conversation. The Captain sighed before shaking his head and pulling Alice to a stop. Turning her to face him, he grabbed both of her hands in his and waited until she looked up at him.

"If I have to tell you every hour of every day for the rest of my life how beautiful I think you are, inside and out, then I shall do it. You are truly the most beautiful person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. You care for people without reservation and you would give up your own happiness if it meant they would get even a moment of joy." Tears ran down Alice's face but he could tell they were from happiness due to the smile on her lips. Without another word, Alice threw her arms around the Captain and hugged him tightly. He grabbed her around her waist and began spinning her around in a circle, causing her to laugh loudly.

He put her down and kept his hands on her waist to keep her steady while she rocked on her feet. They stared at each for a moment, large smiles covering both of their faces. Leaning closer to each other slowly, their lips barely brushed each other when someone loudly called out Alice's name. The moment gone, the two jumped apart from each other and looked around for whoever was calling. Alice groaned softly in the back of her throat when she saw Liam standing a few feet away, arms crossed in front of his chest. The Captain immediately pulled Alice into his arms when the boy started walking towards them. Loving the feeling of his arms around her, Alice went willingly enough and pressed her back against the Captain's chest.

Liam stopped right in front of them and looked Alice from head to toe before shaking his head and dropping his arms to his sides. "Alice, why didn't you ever tell me you were being abused by Lady Tremaine? I could have gotten you out, taken you someplace safe and we could've been together. Now I hear that Ella is to become the Queen, Lady Tremaine and her daughters are being banished from the country, and you're engaged to some palace guard!" Alice giggled softly and reached out the pat Liam's shoulder gently.

"Well Liam all of that is true except for me being engaged. I am simply being courted by the Captain of the palace guard." For the first time, the boy seemed to notice John standing there with his arms wrapped around Alice. They stared at each other for a moment before Liam nodded and held his hand out to the Captain. They shook hands and Liam threatened to duel him if he ever hurt Alice, to which the Captain laughed heartily.

"I think the only one in danger of being hurt in this courtship is me. However, if anything happens please feel free to come to the Palace and challenge me." Alice rolled her eyes and said goodbye to Liam before taking the Captain's hand and pulling him away in the direction of the Palace.

Time passed and Ella married Kit, making her the new Queen. They were very happy together and Ella had demanded that Alice stay in the Palace as Ella's personal handmaiden. Alice readily agreed because she knew it would be easier to continue her courtship if she were in the same general area. Months passed happily, the kingdom was thriving, Ella was extremely happy with her husband, but Alice was getting worried.

Typically if a man was serious about marrying a woman, he would court her for two months at the longest then ask for her hand in marriage. They had been courting for a much longer period of time and Alice began wondering if the Captain was changing his mind about marrying her. Speaking her worries aloud to Ella only made her more confused as her friend seemed to avoid the topic and kept talking about other things.

Her worries turned to be for nothing however, when a week later the Captain planned a romantic walk through the royal gardens and asked Alice to marry him just as the night blooming lilies were showing their petals. She agreed immediately and they got married a month later. Though it was supposed to be a small wedding, most of the guard showed up along with a fair amount of servants that had worked with Alice before. Kit officiated the wedding and Ella gave them both her blessing.

Despite everything they had been through together, things had finally worked out in their favor. They lived happily ever after to the end of their days.

A.N. Well, it's finally over! It has been an adventure writing this wonderful story and I would like to thank everyone who has read it! Your support means a lot to me!


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